Offering Professional Training for Clinicians Interested in Psychoanalysis

The Minnesota Psychoanalytic Institute offers a dynamic opportunity for clinicians interested in expanding and deepening their professional skills and developing their identity as psychoanalysts. Building on Freud's early discoveries, psychoanalytic theory continues to evolve as an intellectually stimulating and clinically powerful instrument for helping people change. New knowledge from infant observation and research, recent studies in the mind-brain relationship, as well as current psychoanalytic developments enhance the rich curriculum offered by the Institute.

Several main currents within psychoanalysis – the Freudian, Object Relations and Kleinian, Self Psychology, and Relational perspectives – guide the psychoanalytic candidate in helping patients disentangle from painful patterns of living to pursue their own transformative potential and live loving, productive, and vital lives. The training includes:

A personal analysis with a Training and Supervising Analyst

A four-year course of study including continuous case conferences

Immersion in clinical work through conducting independent psychoanalysis under the guidance of Supervising/Training Analysts.

MPI welcomes applications from licensed clinicians in the mental health field. If you are interested in pursuing psychoanalytic training, even down the road, we would be happy to talk with you. Please feel free to contact us at info@mpsi.info or 612-200-4141 and one of our Admissions Committee members will get in touch with you. The following information is provided to allow you to determine your eligibility for psychoanalytic training and to inform you about the admissions process. Please contact one of the Admissions Co-Chairs to help you determine your eligibility before proceeding to download or requesting an application.

Eligibility

Doctoral Degree
Clinicians whose degrees are at the doctoral level are automatically eligible to apply. These degrees include M.D., D.O., Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D., DSW, and Doctorate in Nursing.

Masters Degree
Clinicians who have a masters degree in social work, psychiatric nursing, or marriage and family counseling, have 3,000 post-graduate clinical hours, and the didactic seminars and supervision outlined below, are eligible to apply.

Have completed a 2 year post-masters psychoanalytic psychotherapy program, such as the MPSI Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program

Or have completed 60 post-masters hours of psychodynamic seminars and 60 hours of supervision.

Other Clinical Masters Degrees
For clinicians with other accredited clinical masters degrees, such as a masters in psychology or pastoral counseling, with the above outlined clinical, didactic and supervisory hours, MPI may obtain permission ( a waiver) from the American Psychoanalytic Association, to admit a clinician for full psychoanalytic training. This process is initiated when application for training is made.

Academics

Professionals and scholars may apply for psychoanalytic training on the Academic track. Academic Candidates attend all classes, but do not conduct psychoanalysis or receive supervision. They must obtain a personal psychoanalysis and submit a final paper or project, tying their area of interest to psychoanalysis.

Acceptance to the Program

To be admitted for clinical psychoanalytic training, an applicant must be licensed and in good standing in their field, and must carry malpractice insurance.

Applicants are evaluated on the basis of their education, interest and experience, psychological aptitude, and character traits. The Institute looks for applicants with integrity, maturity, and an aptitude for learning and applying psychoanalytic ideas.

A personal analysis with a Training Analyst is recommended to begin at least six months prior to matriculation. Further information about who is eligible as your personal analyst may be discussed with the Co-Chairs of Admissions.

How to Apply

Applications to MPI are accepted throughout the year. A new class is usually started every other year. To be considered for the fall class, applications must be submitted by June 1 of that year.

You will be asked to provide names of 3 supervisors or colleagues who can tell us about your work.

Following receipt of your application, you will receive the names of three interviewers, with each of whom you will schedule two 45 minute interviews. The interviews are structured to learn about your interest in psychoanalysis and about your clinical work. It is also designed for you to have your questions answered about training.

Applicants will be notified of a decision as soon as the Education Committee decides, usually within two months after application is made.

Transfer Candidates

Candidates who received training at other psychoanalytic institutes may apply for transfer of their candidacy.